The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements and, more specifically, to an adjustable furrow opener assembly or similar structure having a spring which urges a shank-mounted tool downwardly into ground engagement.
Seeding implements such as grain drills or the like include a plurality of furrow openers pivotally connected to a main frame and urged into ground engagement by down-pressure springs. The springs typically are part of separate assemblies which are attached to second points on the machine. When attaching or removing an opener assembly or when changing the position of an opener assembly along the main frame, several fasteners must be removed or loosened. To increase or decrease the down-pressure for varying soil and trash conditions or to increase the pressure on the openers which run in tire tracks, the spring usually is compressed by hand while the other hand changes the position of the component bearing against the spring. This down-pressure adjustment can be very cumbersome, particularly as the pressure of the spring is increased. Conventional down-pressure adjusting structure requires numerous components for attachment to the machine, and changing openers or opener positions can be inconvenient and time consuming. With some assemblies, it is not uncommon for the transport height of the opener to be changed with changes in the down-pressure adjustment. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to adjust the transport position of the opener assembly whenever a down-pressure adjustment is made.